The focus of this course is to present the major ideas of the alternative schools of thought or paradigms in the field of development economics in the post-war period and assess their impact on policy in Africa. For this purpose, the readings, lectures and discussion will aim at critically evaluate many of the seminal works written in each of these schools. The aim of the course is to move towards a better understanding of the spectrum of views on the possible causes and solutions to the problem of underdevelopment in Africa and elsewhere.
The course will be split into three parts: An Overview of the Making of Policy in Africa: Ideology, Power and Economic Theory; Theories of Development and Underdevelopment and Their Policy Implications; and Student Presented Case Studies: From Theory to Practice. Readings will include selections of seminal and critical articles on capital-centered models, dualism, stages of economic growth, redistribution with growth, basic needs, dependency and structuralism, economic planning, and structural adjustment.

Syllabi are available to current LSA students. IMPORTANT: These syllabi are provided to give students a general idea about the courses, as offered by LSA departments and programs in prior academic terms. The syllabi do not necessarily reflect the assignments, sequence of course materials, and/or course expectations that the faculty and departments/programs have for these same courses in the current and/or future terms.